samcolt87

I saw some people off in the distance, they weren't very far in

Hi guys, Decided to go do some hunting in Sterling Forest today. I was feeling really ambitious, so I hiked off the trail for a few hours, carefully choosing my steps and moving slowly. Anyways, once I got way out to about a mile off the trail, following some rock outcroppings and various deer signs I saw a pretty big buck! Unfortunately he had seen/ smelled me first and took off. I cursed myself for a while, but as a newbie hunter it was also nice to know I actually did something right! I guess the rest comes with experience. Maybe I'll head back up to that spot during the week in muzzleloader season when the park totally clears out. How has every one else been doing?

I think the number of deer in the general region 3 area has significantly increased. It seems like the red oaks are producing acorns this year. I live over in rockland (3R) and there have been a number of bucks hanging around the back of my house, which has never happened before. I'd see a doe on occasion but never any bucks. Maybe I'm totally wrong, but I have a good feeling about this year.

I will not be one of those slobs at all! I will clean the place up even if I see any other crap out there

There she is on my civic last year, unloaded of course. Still haven't quite figured out how I am going to fit a deer into that tiny trunk.

guess i'll call DEC on this one. Will post back.

Mossberg 100. I have one in .308 and it prints sub-moa with a nikon scope and my nosler 165 grain handloads. That or you can get a very nice deal on used winchester 70s, remington 700s and savage 110s. All great bolt rifles.

Anyone know if you're allowed to plink/target shoot in pochuck state forest?

take a look at the LC9/ PF-9 series. CC is not allowed in my county, but I still bought a PF9 for its compact size. Great little gun. People exagerate the recoil it generates, yeah it kicks but it is very controllable, and I can get off three shots pretty quick. Not to mention you can slip it into a pocket with a good pocket holster, if you have decent sized pockets.

Licenses are available today! What DMPs did you guys get? I finally got one for 3P! Very excited.

I don't go as often as I'd like, but when I do, I mostly do primative style camping, backpack in with a tent, gather firewood at the site and cook on that. Get the best nights sleep ever out there. That evening summer air is also a good reminder of why I camp. Now if I could find a good camping location to do camp hunting, like they do out west, that would be something!

Thank you for all of that info Bill! I hope you feel better soon, and are able to get out this year after some deer.

Any of you guys hunt in mt. Tom? Looks like last year it had a decent deer take. How about Carter's pond WMA? Thanks

you can't see it too well from the picture, but my blind was actually about 30' off the ground on a flat ledge on a hillside which dropped vertically. it was pretty hard to see from level ground (with exception to the b/o vest I tied to the top!) When I was on the ground, I placed it by thick pines/dense brush. Do you guys have any way of determining the freshness of dropping/tracks? To give you another perspective from the ground, my blind was about where the red circle is... just enough to see the b/o from there while keeping my scent way up high! wind was blowing into the blind also!

but it was nice to get out for my first deer season! No one else in my family hunts, so I kinda picked it up on my own, but now I'm hooked! I think I'll head out after some squirrels tomorrow. There's my ground blind, my sporterized hawken out on the last day of muzzleloader season at Sterling Forest. Hoping to bag something next year with everyone's help! Merry Christmas.